Sunday letters

With reference to Indrajit Hazra’s article The beauty of pretty (Red Herring, July 31), the media’s portrayal of Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar as a style diva shows that our press is immature.

Designer skirting round the issueWith reference to Indrajit Hazra’s article The beauty of pretty (Red Herring, July 31), the media’s portrayal of Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar as a style diva shows that our press is immature. The media went gaga over Khar’s personality and her designer handbags but forgot to cover the main issue of the Indo-Pak talks. Both countries are standing at a juncture where sincerity is needed to resolve pending issues. So it’s important for the media to stick to their job.Rakesh Sherawat, via email

The PM says ‘yes’, he means ‘no’In his cartoon Full Toss (July 31), Vishwajyoti Ghosh deftly brings to light the hypocrisy of the various people involved in the debate over the Lokpal Bill. It is difficult to believe that the prime minister couldn’t put his foot down and ask his Cabinet to allow his office to be covered under the lokpal. M Ratan, Delhi

Do not reward true liesIn his article When telling the truth becomes a crime (With Malice Towards One and All, July 31) Khushwant Singh admits that his father Sobha Singh had testified against Bhagat Singh and others in the court, which helped the British pronounce them guilty. He argues that his father’s ‘crime’ was that he spoke the truth. The truth is that Sobha Singh was more concerned about his own image in the eyes of the British. He is rightly called a stooge of the British and doesn’t deserve any recognition in India.SK Malhotra, via email

Singh’s defence of his father is very weak. Any sensible person in Sobha Singh’s place would have lied — even if he hadn’t lied ever — to save Bhagat Singh’s life. But he stuck to his so-called principles because he didn’t want to displease his British masters. Windsor Place is a major landmark in Delhi. If it must be renamed, it shouldn’t be named after someone who helped the British kill some of India’s greatest freedom fighters.RC Mody, via email

Paying for no crime of oursWith reference to Chanakya’s article Pre-punishment postings (Chanakya, July 31), hundreds of people who are accused of various crimes are languishing in our jails because of lack of evidence to prove them guilty or innocent. It’s unfair for taxpayers to bear the cost of food and security for these alleged criminals only because the police have failed to perform their duty. The judiciary and the government should take note of the problem and question the police on the growing number of cases that are not brought to a conclusive end for years due to lack of evidence.VN Kesavan, via email

There is no justification forthe increasing number of undertrials. The law is not the same for everyone in India, as it favours the rich and powerful. While people like Shamsuddin Fakruddin are caught and jailed for petty crimes, corrupt ministers and bureaucrats, who siphon off crores of taxpayers’ money, roam free. The situation demands an urgent assessment and a definitive solution.BM Singh, via email

Working is injurious to healthManas Chakravarty in Losing their heads (Loose Canon, July 31) is at his satirical best. Our politicians and bureaucrats suffer most from the diseases that Chakravarty mentions. But it seems that the pressure to perform and work for the welfare of the country is causing the most harm to their health. GK Arora, Delhi

Migrating towards a mirageWith reference to Samar Khurshid and Shreya Sethuraman’s article In new India, all roads lead to the city (The Big Story, July 31), the decline in public investments, non-commensurate rise in private investments, rising input costs, climate change and slow pace of reforms in the agriculture sector are responsible for the sharp decrease in the production of foodgrain in India. Today, the rural youth is flocking to cities in the hope of finding better career prospects. Their migration is a result of the government’s failure to take timely note of their problems.RK Das, Lucknow